Non-evaporable getter devices are well known in the art. One particular getter structure which has found wide acceptance by industry is described in Winzer U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,253. It comprises an insulated heating coil which is then covered with a powdered getter material. The heating coil is provided with support lead wires whose insulation extends exterior to the getter material. The insulating material is commonly a sintered layer of electrophoretically deposited alumina (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3). Unfortunately this alumina is fragile and when the getter device is being handled and being assembled into a vessel (i.e., electric discharge device, vacuum vessel or rare gas filled device) where it is to be used, any bending of the support lead wires tends to cause cracking of the insulating material. This cracking also leads to the production of loose particles which can damage or impare the functioning of the device within which the getter device is used. As the cracking and detachment of insulating material is usually found to take place in the position where the support leads are exiting from the (usually metallic) getter material there may also be danger of short circuits.